James Deane Slides His Mustang RTR To Formula DRIFT Victory

A new venue brought fresh challenges to the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship. Still, when the tire smoke cleared at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, it was James Deane and the O’Reilly/Pennzoil Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD standing atop the podium for the first time this season.

Round 4 delivered one of the most competitive events of the year, and Deane’s path to victory was anything but easy. After spinning on his second qualifying run and falling deeper into the bracket, the Irish driver faced a difficult road through eliminations. Rather than letting the mistake define his weekend, he responded with a championship-caliber performance.

Deane opened his charge by defeating Jhonnattan Castro before advancing past Andy Hateley. The competition only intensified from there, as he eliminated Ryan Tuerck in a hard-fought Top 8 battle before facing fellow RTR Motorsports driver Ben Hobson in the Final Four. Hobson continued his impressive sophomore campaign with a fourth-place finish, but Deane’s experience and consistency behind the wheel of the Mustang RTR carried him into the Final.

Waiting there was Jack Shanahan, who had earned his spot in the championship battle after defeating his younger brother, Conor Shanahan, in the other semifinal matchup. The result guaranteed a historic all-Irish podium.

May The Road Rise

The final promised to be one of the highlights of the season, but mechanical issues intervened. Deane completed two clean runs in the Mustang RTR, while steering problems sidelined Shanahan’s Pulsar Turbos E82 BMW during the second battle, ending his bid for victory.

“There’s so many emotions after our first win of the season. We had a crazy battle with Ryan Tuerck, then I was so happy to battle teammate Ben Hobson in the Top 4. He gave me an awesome run before I met my Irish neighbor, Jack Shanahan, in the Final,” Deane said. “And it was great to be part of the first-ever all-Irish international podium, but I’ve got a couple of events in Europe before we return to Indianapolis to another new track. But we’re leading the Championship and will stay focused, push hard, and see what happens!”

For Deane, the win completed an impressive rebound after an early Round 1 exit. Consecutive runner-up finishes in Rounds 2 and 3 kept him within striking distance, and the 50-point victory in Connecticut moved him to the top of the championship standings with 149 points. That gives him a 22-point advantage over Aurimas “Odi” Bakchis heading into Round 5.

The result also strengthened Ford’s position in the 2026 Formula DRIFT Auto Cup standings. With 243 points, Ford continues to lead the manufacturer championship ahead of Toyota, underscoring the continued competitiveness of the Mustang RTR platform at the highest levels of professional drifting.

Round 5 of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship and Round 3 of the Link ECU PROSPEC Championship heads to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 30-August 1. Follow Deane’s pursuit of another championship and Ford’s push for Auto Cup honors as the series visits another new venue in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested 2026 campaign.